Santa Farma: Innovation in Pharmaceuticals Since 1944

Santa Farma is today firmly established as one of Turkey’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers and a major contributor to global healthcare, operating a portfolio of 56 brands and 127 products across 10 therapeutic categories, including Anti-infectives, Cardiovascular System, Central Nervous System, Dermatology, Gastrointestinal System & Metabolism, Hematology, Muscle & Skeleton System, Respiratory System and Urology.

With a total staff count of over 1,100, including almost 60 dedicated R&D specialists operating from a state-of-the-art production facility, Santa Farma has a rich history of pharmaceutical innovation, something that has been in place since its inception in 1944. This approach ensures it is in the best possible position to overcome the potential challenges that the modern sector can often present.

This tradition of pushing boundaries continues to the present day as the firm transitions from being a Turkey-based Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH), the legal entity responsible for holding the marketing authorization for its products, to also operating as a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

The additional CDMO function means Santa Farma is able to provide a multitude of pharma development services, including commercial drug manufacturing, research and development, analysis, clinical trials, and post-marketing product support. This broad range of services ensures that CDMOs are now the preferred choice for pharma manufacturers across the globe, even for pre-formulated drugs.

Advancing from an MAH to a CDMO provides greater opportunities for Santa Farma’s ongoing innovation and specialization. However, it also means that adherence to ever-changing, intricate, and geographically specific regulatory standards is now even more vital.

The current CEO of Santa Farma is Sami Kiresepi, who took over the position in 2024, succeeding his father, Erol Kiresepi, who continues to serve as the Chairman of the Board. This leadership transition marks the beginning of the third generation of family leadership in the company, underlining the family culture and values that have been a core part of the firm’s structure since its inception.

Sami Kiresepi began his career at Johnson & Johnson in the USA, serving in roles such as Commercial Deputy Marketing Manager, and Product Manager.

He has been with Santa Farma since 2006 and has held various positions within the organization, bringing extensive experience to his new role. He previously served as Product Manager, Regional Promotion Manager, Marketing Manager, Marketing Director and Strategic Planning Director.

Santa Farma in Numbers

Santa Farma’s output is impressive by any standards.

Its state-of-the-art production and manufacturing facility covers a total indoor area of 44,000 m2 and is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment from leading brands in the pharmaceutical industry and certified to meet all cGMP and cGLP requirements. It has a capacity of producing 150 million units per shift, the largest volume in a single shift in Turkey, comprising solids, semi solids, effervescent tablets, and liquids, including a number of specialized forms, such as sachets, pellets, tab-in-caps and bilayer tablets.

Various sizes and quantities can be produced, ranging from 15 to 1,000 kg for solid forms, 100 to 1,250 kg for semi-solid forms and 400 to 13,000 litres for liquid forms.

Products are fully-automatic packaging lines equipped with electronic control systems capable of sorting out defective products. All packaging lines are integrated with a 2D coding system. The latest building management system is used for monitoring, managing and reporting temperature, moisture and pressure data in all areas in the production facilities on a 24/7 basis.

Santa Farma also has significant warehousing facilities covering 1,700 m2, capable of housing over 10,000 pallets.

These impressive facilities are set to become even more important as the firm transitions into a CDMO, providing local and international customers with the most advanced manufacturing, research and support services available.

As a result, fellow pharmaceutical companies which prefer contract manufacturing are able to confidently entrust manufacturing and packaging to Santa Farma. This frees them up to focus on other priorities, such as sales and marketing, while benefiting from significant cost advantages thanks to Santa Farma’s combination of high quality facilities and experienced technical staff.

Santa Farma’s bold vision for the future

Santa Farma’s CEO, Sami Kiresepi, has shared his bold vision: “To be a reference company in healthcare by integrating local needs in global markets with world-class standards.”

To achieve this, the company has outlined several strategic objectives to ensure it continues to evolve alongside the needs of an evolving pharma sector:

• Enhancing R&D Activities: Santa Farma is committed to strengthening its research and development efforts, focusing on creating value-added generics with unique combinations and innovative delivery forms.
• Expanding International Presence: The company aims to penetrate new markets, particularly targeting regulated countries. Currently, Santa Farma is collaborating with potential partners to explore opportunities in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
• Leveraging Manufacturing Capabilities: With a modern manufacturing facility that received its first EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification in 2015, Santa Farma plans to position itself as a production hub, especially in light of localization efforts within the industry.
• Answering Trends: Developments like personal medication, new vaccines and new markets present a significant opportunity for Santa Farma, especially because of its extensive R&D functionality.
• Commitment to Sustainability: As a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2010, Santa Farma emphasizes environmental responsibility and aims to implement sustainable social responsibility activities.

By focusing on these strategic areas, Santa Farma intends to not only achieve its vision of outpacing market growth but also to contribute positively to human health and quality of life while managing global supply chains and grabbing the multiple opportunities presented by digital transformation.

Innovation in the workplace

We have already seen that Santa Farma prides itself on its friendly, family culture.

Indeed, one of CEO Sami Kiresepi’s ongoing aims is for Santa Farma to be a great place to work as a popular, inspiring and innovative company.

Santa Farma’s overall workplace policy is based on respect for the individual, openness to development, rational power, and respect for the work, workplace and community. It prioritizes projects that fit with the needs and expectations of the new generation and which increase employee satisfaction.

Employee education is also key. Santa Farma initiated a Master’s Degree Project in collaboration with Bahçeşehir University in 2017. Since then, 10 employees of Santa Farma have participated in the Master’s Degree Project, intended to support the personal development and academic improvement of employees with a promising potential for the future.

ESG essentials

All pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility in today’s operating environment to ensure they are investing in their ESG offering – an approach that is firmly endorsed by CEO, Sami Kiresepi, who drives important social responsibility projects on behalf of the firm.

These include “Don’t Forget Yourself”, a project carried out in partnership with the Turkish Alzheimer Association, which organizes public meetings in several cities to educate people about Alzheimer’s. Another significant project is “Leave a Yellow Note to Life” carried out with the Viral Hepatitis Control Association to raise awareness about Hepatitis B.

Many other ESG-driven projects are also carried out by Santa Farma in partnership with various other organizations.

Santa Farma and advanco – A Partnership Based on Collaboration and Trust

One of CEO Sami Kiresepi’s core beliefs is that partnership and collaboration with fellow pharmaceutical firms is crucial to meet the evolving needs of the overall sector.

One of these partnerships is with advanco, a union that started in 2015. Today, ARC-driven serialization and track and trace solutions can be found right across Santa Farma’s substantial manufacturing facility. This integration has been key for streamlining many of Santa Farma’s business-critical processes, including minimizing intervention times for errors and reducing mistakes through root cause analysis, in addition to meeting multiple compliance standards for clients located right across the globe.

This partnership is expected to take on even more significance as Santa Farma transitions into a CDMO and enters the next generation of its development. advanco will provide ongoing support throughout this transformative period and beyond, as the pharmaceutical industry continues to evolve.

Conclusion

With a heritage spanning more than 80 years, Santa Farma has become a highly reputable pharmaceutical company both locally and globally.

During this time, it has carved out a reputation for innovation and an ability to meet the requirements of a constantly-changing pharmaceutical sector, one based around the highest levels of regulatory adherence.

The serialization and track and trace solutions provided by advanco are key to ensuring Santa Farma’s products adhere to these regulations and can, as a result, be freely distributed across Turkey and multiple international markets.

However, with Santa Farma preparing to transition into a CDMO, as well as an MAH, these solutions are set to take on even greater significance, meaning the partnership with advanco is set to continue well into a second decade – and beyond.